NFL Ratings down 9.7%

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(FierceCable.com) – The slumping ratings narrative for the NFL has carried over into the New Year as fresh figures from Nielsen show the average audience for NFL games fell more than it did during the 2016 season.

An average of 14.9 million viewers checked in for games this season, down 9.7% from 16.5 million per game during the previous season. That decline is higher than the 8% drop for the 2016 season.

According to the report, the NFL’s Thursday Night and Sunday Night games saw the biggest audience decreases, down 12% and 11% respectively.

But, as the Wall Street Journal pointed out, the NFL still put forth 33 of the top 50 television programs in 2017. And ratings have been down for all of television, not just NFL broadcasts.